THOUGHTS 

ON  THE 

COLONIZATION  OF  FREE  BLACKS. 

WHAT  shall  we  do  with  the  free  people  of  color  ? 
What  can  we  do  for  their  happiness  consistently  with  our  own  ? 
Are  questions  often  asked  by  the  thinking  mind.  The  desire 
to  make  them  happy  lias  often  been  felt,  but  the  difficulty  of 
devising  and  accomplishing  an  efficient  plan  has  hitherto  ap¬ 
peared  too  great  for  humanity  itself  to  accomplish.  The  mind 
shrunk  back  from  the  attempt.  The  time  was  not  arrived. 
The  servitude  of  the  sons  of  Ham,  described  by  Noah,  in  the 
spirit  of  prophesy,  concerning  the  future  condition  of  h  is  pos¬ 
terity,  was  not  terminated.  At  present  as  if  by  a  divine  im¬ 
pulse,  men  of  virtue,  piety,  and  reflection  are  turning  their 
thoughts  to  this  subject,  and  seem  to  see  the  wished  for  plan 
unfolding,  in  the  gradual  separation  of  the  black  from  the  refute 
population ,  by  providing  for  the  former ,  some  suitable  situation 
where  they  may  enjoy  the  advantages  to  which  they  are  entitled 
by  nature  and  their  creator’s  will.  This  is  a  great  subject,  and 
there  are  several  weighty  questions  connected  with  it,  which 
deserve  a  deep  consideration. 

Is  it  a  practicable  thing  to  form  a  colony  of  free  blacks 
in  our  own  wild  lands,  or  on  the  coast  of  Africa  ? 

Is  it  probable  that  the  establishment  would  be  productive 
of  general  happiness  ? 

.  What  is  the  most  desirable  situation  for  such  a  settle¬ 
ment  ?  In  what  manner,  and  by  whom  might  such  a  colony  be 
planted  with  the  greatest  hope  of  success  ? 

Much  wisdom  would  no  doubt  be  required  in  arranging  a 
plan  of  so  much  magnitude,  and  some  perseverance  in  executing 
it  and  carrying  it  to  perfection.  But  it  cannot  be  supposed  to 
be  among  the  things  which  are  impracticable,  to  plant  a  colo¬ 
ny,  either  of  blacks  or  whites,  either  in  Africa,  or  in  some  re¬ 
mote  district  of  our  own  country.  Most  nations  have  had 
their  colonies.  Greece  and  Rome  planted  many  which  grew 
and  flourished,  and  which,  as  they  grew,  added  strength  and 
lustre  to  the  mother  country.  At  the  present  time  there  are 
few  nations  who  have  not  their  foreign  settlements,  and  some 
of  them  from  year  to  year  are  increasing  the  numbers  of  their 
colonies.  With  what  ease  is  G.  Britain  transplanting  a  part  of 
her  population,  in  the  remotest  regions  of  the  earth,  and  peopling 
New  Holland,  a  land  destined  like  our  own  to  extend  the  empire 
of  liberty  and  Christian  blessings  to  surrounding  nations.*  It 

*  It  is  a  remarkable  instance  of  the  mysterious  and  inscrutable  ways  of  Pro¬ 
vidence,  that  the  colony  of  New  Holland  which  is  principally  composed  of  British  con- 


{(ops  not  appear  that  it  would  require  much  greater  skill  or  labor 
$o  form  a  separate  establishment  for  tree  blacks  in  our  own  dis¬ 
tant  territories,  than  it  is  to  form  a  new  state.  The  people  of 
/color  observing  the  constant  emigration  of  the  whites,  would 
soon  feel  the  common  impulse,  if  they  could  see  a  place  where 
they  might  remove,  and  which  they  could  fondly  call  their  own. 
Many  have  both  the  means  and  disposition  to  go  to  any  rear 
sqnable  distance,  or  even  to  a  great  distance  where  they  could 
assume  the  rank  of  men,  and  act  their  part  upon  the  great 
theatre  of  life.  Their  local  attachments  arc  no  stronger  than 
those  of  other  men,  their  ambition  no  less  than  that  of  any 
pther  color? 

To  colonize  them  in  Africa  would  be  a  much  more  ardu¬ 
ous  undertaking.  The  country  must  be  explored  and  some 
situation  chosen,  fertile  and  healthy — expense  must  be  incurr¬ 
ed  in  fair  and  honorable  purchase  from  the  natives — an  ho¬ 
norable  appeal  perhaps  be  made  to  the  nations  of  Europe,  as  to 
fhe  justice  and  humanity  of  our  views.  An  efficient  government 
must  for  a  time  at  least  be  afforded  to  the  colony— the  free 
blacks  must  be  instructed  that  it  would  be  to  their  interest  to 
Remove  to  the  land  which  gave  them  origin,  and  instruction 
provided  to  raise  their  minds  to  that  degree  of  knowledge, 
which  in  time  would  lit  them  for  self-government.  66  These 
difficulties  arc  real  and  some  of  them  might  be  found  to  be  ve- 
r y  great,  hut  they  are  not  insurmountable?  We  have  wisdom 
in  our  councils,  and  energy  in  our  government.  In  such  an 
undertaking  we  should  have  reason  and  the  pod  of  eternal  jus¬ 
tice  on  our  side.  Humanity  lias  many  a  virtuous  son  who 
Would  willingly  and  carefully  explore  the  long  line  of  African 
coast  which  has  not  fallen  under  the  dominion  of  any  Euro- 
pean  nation*  Their  devoted  ness  to  their  country’s  interest 
and  glory  would  make  them  faithful  to  their  undertaking,  and 
their  desire  for  the  happiness  of  the  free  people  of  color,  would 
fpduce  them  if  possible  to  find  a  country  where  health  and 
plenty  might  be  enjoyed.  The  consent  of  the  chiefs  to  part 
with  a  sufficient  portion  of  soil,  might  be  easily  obtained,  es¬ 
pecially  when  they  were  informed  that  the  sole  design  of  the 
polony,  was  to  restore  their  own  children  and  bring  them  back 
free  and  happy.  Erom  what  has  often  taken  place  on  the  coast  of 
i^frica,  we  may  be  assured  that  the  cost  of  procuring  the  right  of 
soil,  by  fair  and  just  purchase,  would  not  be  great.  The  expense 
of  conveying  the  first  settlers,  of  maintaining  a  sufficient  force 
to  protect  tjie  colony,  and  of  supplying  the  wants  of  the  co¬ 
lonists  for  a  short  period  might  be  more  considerable.  Yet  the 
Wisdom  of  congress  might  devise  some  means  of  lightening, 
perhaps  of  re-paying,  the  cost.  Many  of  the  free  people  of 


yicts  has  become  flourishing ;  its  inhabitants  peaceable*  orderly  and  industrious,  and 
/through  the  instrumentality  of  missionaries,  Christianity  is  flourishing  among  them  * 
through  them  likely  to  extend  civilization,  and  the*  benefits  of  the  Christian  reli- 
l^ns,  to  the  ignorant  and  suptrstitious  natives  of  that  country  and  the  adjacent  islands 


s 

?  ^  •  **  t  .  i  i  ^ 

color  have  property  sufficient  to  transport,  and  afterward  id 
establish  themselves.  The  ships  of  war  might  be  employed 
occasionally  in  this  service,  while  many  would  indent  them¬ 
selves  to  procure  a  passage  to  the  hind  of  their  independences 
The  crews  of  the  national  ships  which  might  be  from  time  to1 
time  at  the  colony  would  furnish  at  least  a  part  of  that  protec¬ 
tion  which  would  be  necessary  for  the  settlers;  and  in  a  little 
time  the  trade  which  the  colony  would  open  with  the  interior*, 
would  more  than  compensate  for  every  expense,  if  the  colony 
were  wisely  formed.  >•  From  the  single  river  of  Sierra  Le¬ 
one,  where  "there  is  a  colony  of  free  people  of  color,  the  im¬ 
ports  in  Great  Britain  were  nearly,  and  the  exports  to  the 
same  l  iver  fully,  equal  to  the  imports  and  exports,  exclusive 
of  the  slave  trade  of  the  whole  extent  of  the  western  coast  of 
Africa,  prior  to  the  abolition  of  that  traffic.”*  To  allay  the 
jealousies  of  other  nations,  which  might  arise  from  our  estab¬ 
lishing  a  settlement  in  Africa;  a  successful  appeal  might  be 
made  to  their  justice  and  humanity.  It  would  be  only  doing 
as  they  have  done  should  no  such  appeal  be  made,  Spain! 
has  her  settlements  in  Africa.  France  on  the  rivers  Gambia 
and  Senegal,  Great  Britain,  at  Sierra  Leone  and  the  Cape,1 
Portugal,  in  Congo  an  I  Loarigb.  tin  the  principles  of  justice 
no  nation  would  have  a  right  to  interfere  with  our  intentions'*? 
Moreover,  in  this  period  of  the  world  when  the  voice  of  jus¬ 
tice  and  humanity  begins  to  be  listened  to  with  attention,  is 
there  not  reason  to  hope,  that  plans,  the  sole  design  of  which 
is  the  benefit  of  the  human  race,  would  be  approved  in  the 
cabinet  of  princes  and  hailed  by  the  benevolent  of  all  nations? 
The  colony  would  not  suffer  for  want  of  instructors^  inf 
morals,  religion  and  the  useful  arts  of  life.  The  time  at  last 
is  come  when  not  a  few  are  embibing  the  spirit  of  Him  who' 
came  from  Heaven  “  to  seek  and  save  the  lost.”  That  spirit 
is  only  beginning  to  go  forth,  which  has  already  been  so  suc¬ 
cessful  in  teaching,  the  Caffre,  the  Hottentot,  the  Boshemeny 
the  means  of  present  happiness  and  the  way  of  eternal  life.f 
In  the  mean  time  the  great  efforts  which  are  making  to  im¬ 
prove  the  mental  condition  of  the  people  of  color  seems  de¬ 
signed  in  providence  to  prepare  them  for  some  great  and  hap¬ 
py  chan  ge  in  their  situation. 

It  need  not  he  apprehended,  that  these  people  would  be' 
unwilling  to  remove  to  the  proposed  establishment.  To  sup¬ 
pose  this,  is  to  suppose  that  they  do  not  long  after  happiness? 
that  they  do  not  feel  the  common  pride  and  feelings  of  meiio’ 
In  some  of  our  great  cities  there  are  associations  formed  id, 
open  a  correspondence  with  the  colony  at  Sierra  Leone  anti 


4 


prepare  their  minds  for  a  removal  to  a  colony  should  it  be  ever 
formed. f  The  colony  at  Sierra  Leone  on  the  western  coast  of 
Africa,  seems  as  if  designed  by  God  to  obviate  every  difficulty, 
to  silence  objections,  and  point  out  the  way  in  which  every  ob¬ 
stacle  may  be  removed,  if  measures  sufficiently  wise  are  adopt¬ 
ed  in  establishing  a  similar  colony  from  this  country.  The 
colony  alluded  to  was  first  established  in  the  year  1791.  Its 
first  settlers  were  a  few  people  of  color  who  were  in  Great 
Britain,  and  from  1100  to  1200  of  the  same  description  in  No¬ 
va  Scotia.  In  the  year  1811,  the  population  had  increased  to 
2000  exclusive  of  many  natives,  notwithstanding  the  sickness 
and  mortality  incident  to  a  new  settlement,  and  the  settlement 
being  once  destroyed  by  the  French.  In  the  year  1816,  the 
population  had  increased  to  SOOO.^J  All  this  has  been  accom¬ 
plished  or  at  least  it  was  originated,  and  for  many  years  main¬ 
tained  by  a  company  of  benevolent  and  enterprising  men,  by 
men  too  who  are  far  removed  from  those  places  where  free 
blacks  are  to  be  found.  What  then  might  be  done  under  the 
blessing  of  that  Being  who  wills  the  happiness  of  all  his  crea¬ 
tures.  by  the  American  government,  aided  by  the  benevolence 
of  al!  its  citizens,  and  surrounded  with  thousands  who  would 
he  willing  to  emigrate,  and  many  of  whom  could  carry  with 
them  property,  the  useful  arts  of  life,  and  above  all,  the  know¬ 
ledge  of  the  benign  religion  of  Christ. 

/<■  it  probable  that  the  general  good  would  be  promoted  by 
the  establishment  of  such  a  colony  ?  If  there  is  not  reason  to  be¬ 
lieve  that  it  would  be  for  the  general  benefit,  the  idea  ought 
to  he  given  up  and  the  scheme  rejected.  But  is  there  not  rea¬ 
son  to  believe  that  the  interest  of  the  whites  and  the  free  peo¬ 
ple  of  color  would  be  equally  promoted,  by  the  latter  being 
cob  nized  in  some  suitable  situation  ?  It  can  scarcely  be 
doubted  that  slavery  has  an  injurious  effect  on  the  morals  and 
habits  of  a  country  where  it  exists.  It  insensibly  induces  a 
habit  of  indolence.  Idleness  seldom  fails  to  be  attended  with 
dissipation.  Should  the  time  evTer  come  when  slavery  shall 
not  exist  in  these  states ;  yet  if  the  people  of  color  remain 
among  us,  the  effect  of  their  presence  will  be  unfavorable  to 

•f  Such  an  association  exists  in  Philadelphia. 

1  “  Early  in  the  winter  of  1816,  about  thirty  people  of  color  left  Boston 
with  a  view  of  settling  themselves  in  the  British  colony  at  Sierra  Leone,  in  Africa. 
The  vessel  in  which  they  sailed  was  the  property  and  under  the  command  of  the 
celebrated  Paul  Cuffee.  Captain  Cuffee  has  returned  to  this  country,  and  brings  letters 
from  the  emigrants  to  their  friends  and  benefactors.  We  have  seen  one  of  the  letters 
dated  April  3, 1816.  It  states  that  they  all  arrived  safe  at  Sierra  Leone,  after  a  pas¬ 
sage  of  55  days,  and  were  welcomed  by  all  in  the  colony.  The  place  is  represented  as 
“  good.”  They  have  fruits  of  all  kinds  and  at  all  seasons  of  the  year  The  governor 
gaVe  each  family  a  -ot  of  land  in  the  town,  and  fifty  acres  of  “  good  land”  in  the  coun¬ 
try  ,  or  more  in  proportion  to  their  families.  Their  land  in  the  country  is  about  two 
miles  from  town.  They  have  plenty  of  rice  and  corn,  and  all  other  food  that  is  good. 
There  were  five  churches  in  the  colony,  and  three  or  four  schools,  in  one  of  which 
there  were  150  female  Africans,  who  are  taught  to  read  the  word  of  God”  The 
Boston  Recorder, 


8 


our  industry  and  morals.  The  recollection  of  their  former  servi¬ 
tude  will  keep  alive  the  feeli  ng  that  they  were  formed  for  labor,  and 
that  the  descendants  of  their  former  masters,  ought  to  be  exempt 
at  least  from  the  more  humble  and  toilsomerpursuits  of  life.  The 
gradual  withdrawing  of  the  blacks  would  insensibly,  and  from  an 
easy  necessity  induce  habits  of  industry,  and  along  with  it  a 
love  of  order  and  religion.  Could  they  be  removed  to  some 
situation  where  they  might  live  alone,  society  would  be  saved 
many  a  pang  which  now  is  felt,  and  must  in  course  of  time  he 
much  more  sensibly  felt  from  the  intermixture  of  the  different 
colors,  and  at  the  same  time  be  relieved  from  a  heavy  burden, 
in  supporting  that  large  portion  of  this  people  which  falls  into- 
poverty  and  must  he  maintained  by  others.  If  the  benefit  of 
the  proposed  separation  would  be  considerable  to  those  states 
Where  the  people  of  color  are  comparatively  few,  how  great 
Would  it  be  to  those  where  they  are  very  numerous.  The  love 
of  liberty  which  prevails  in  those  states,  must  be  attended  with 
a  desire  to  see  abolished  a  system  so  contrary  to  the  best  feel¬ 
ings  of  our  natures.  But  however  strong  the  desires  of  many, 
however  lively  the  impressions  of  the  great  principles  of  right/ 
or  however  pungent  the  convictions  of  a  dying  bed,  it  is  believ¬ 
ed  to  be  unsafe  to  encourage  the  idea  of  emancipation.  Tha 
evil  therefore  increases  every  year,  and  the  gloomy  picture 
grows  darker  continually,  so  that  the  question  is  often  and  anx¬ 
iously  asked — What  will  be  the  end  of  all  this  ?  The  most  nat¬ 
ural  and  easy  answer  seems  to  be — Let  no  time  be  lost — let  a 
colony  or  colonies  be  formed  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  and  let 
laws  be  passed  permitting  the  emancipation  of  slaves  on  condi¬ 
tion  that  they  shall  be  colonized.  By  this  means  the  evil  of 
slavery  will  be  diminished,  and  in  a  way  so  gradual  as  to  pre¬ 
pare  the  whites  for  the  happy  and  progressive  change. 

The  benefits  of  the  proposed  plan  to  the  race  of  blacks 
appear  to  be  numerous  and  great.  That  they  are  capable  of 
improvement  is  not  to  be  contradicted,  and  that  their  improve¬ 
ment  progresses  daily,  notwithstanding  every  obstacle,  is  not 
to  be  denied.  Their  capacity  for  self  government  whether 
denied  or  not,  is  ever  present  to  our  view  in  the  island  of  St. 
Domingo.  But  it  is  in  vain  that  we  believe  them  capable  of 
improvement-,  or  that  we  are  convinced  that  they  are  equal  to 
the  task  of  governing  themselves,  unless  this  unhappy  people-  are 
separated  from  their  former  masters.  The  friends  of  man  will 
strive  in  vain  to  raise  them  to  a  proper  level  while  they  re¬ 
main  among  us.  They  will  be  kept  down,  on  the  one  side  by 
prejudice,  too  deep  rooted  to  be  eradicated,  on  the  other,  by 
the  recollection  of  former  inferiority,  and  despair  of  ever  assu¬ 
ming  an  equal  standing  in  society.  Remove  them.  Place 
them  by  themselves  in  some  climate,  congenial  with  their  color 
and  constitutions,  and  in  some  fruitful  soil  ;  their  contracted 
minds  will  then  expand  and  their  natures  rise.  The  hope  of 


4 


(y 


place  anil  power  will  soon  create  the  feeling  that  they  are  mem 
Give  them  the-  hope  of  becoming  possessed  of  power  and  in¬ 
fluence,  and  the  pleasure  of  their  invigorated  minds  will  be 
similar  to  ours  in  like  circumstances.  At  present  they  have 
few  incentives  to  industry  and  virtue,  compared  with  those 
which  they  would  feel,  in  a  land  which  they  could  call  their 
own,  and  where  there  was  no  competition  except  with  their 
own  color. 

This  great  enterprise,  must  be  undertaken ;  either  by  a  uni¬ 
on  of  virtuous  and  pious  individuals,  as  in  the  cascof  the  colony 
of  Sierra  Leone  already  mentioned  in  its  original  state;  or  by  the 
government  of  the  Urn  ted  States.  Perhaps  on  mature  delibe¬ 
ration,  it  might  appear  a  work  worthy  of  the  government,  and 
one  that  could  be  accomplished  with  the  greatest  ease  and  in 
the  most  efficient  manner  under  the  patronage  of  the  nation. 
None  but  the  nation’s  arm  could  reach  to  all  the  situations  in 
which  the  free  blacks  arc  placed  through  our  extended  country, 
nor  any  but  its  councils  be  wise  enough  to  accommodate  the 
various  interests  which  ought  to  be  consulted  in  so  great  an 
undertaking.  If  wrong  has  been  done  to  Africa  in  forcing 
away  her  weeping  children,  the  wrong  can  be  best  redressed, 
by  that  power  which  did  the  injury.  If  Heaven  has  been  of¬ 
fended,  by  putting  chains  on  those,  whom  by  its  eternal  laws 
it  has  willed  to  be  free,  the  same  hand  which  provoked  the  di¬ 
vine  displeasure,  should  offer  the  atoning  sacrifice.  Under  a 
former  government  this  guilt  and  evil  were  brought  principal¬ 
ly  upon  our  land;  but  for  many  years  the  state  govern¬ 
ments,  under  the  eye  of  the  general  government,  continued  this 
great  violation  of  the  laws  of  nature.  Let  then  the  represen¬ 
tatives  of  this  great  and  free,  people,  not  only  feel  it  to  be  their 
interest,  but  their  duty  ami  glory  to  repair  the  injuries  done  to 
humanity  by  our  ancestors  by  restoring  to  independence  those 
who  were  forced  from  their  native  land,  and  arc  now  found 


am  one;  us. 


It  remains  yet  to  answer  the  question :  Should  congress 
in  their  wisdom  adopt  the  proposed  measure ;  would  it  best 
answer  the  end  designed,  to  plant  the  colony  in  some  distant 
section  of  our  country,  or  in  the  land  to  which  their  color  and 
original  constitution  arc  adapted?  If  fixed  in  the  territories  of 
the  United  States,  the  expense  of  procuring  soil  might  he  saved, 
and  the  difficulty  of  removing  settlers  to  the  appointed  place 
would  he  diminished,  especially^ if  the  colony  were  planted  at 
no  very  great  distance  in  the  interior.  But  these  advantages 
would  be  in  part  counterbalanced,  by  having  in  our  vicinity 
an  independent  settlement  of  people  who  were  once  our  slaves* 
There  might  be  cause  of  dread  lest  they  should  occasionally 
combine  with  our  Indian  neighbors,  or  with  those  European 
nations  who  have  settlements  adjacent  to  our  own,  and  we 
should  have  them  for  our  enemies.  However  great  the  dis*- 


7 


£ance  at  which  such  a  settlement  would  be  made  in  our  own 
country,  it  would  furnish  great  facility  to  the  slaves  in  the 
nearest  states,  to  desert  their  masters’  service,  and  escape  to 
a  land  where  their  own  race  was  sovereign  and  independent, 
An  easy  communication  would  also  be  open  to  send  informa¬ 
tion  to  those  who  remain  in  slavery,  so  as  to  make  them  un- 
easy  in  their  servitude.  if  removed  to  Africa,  these  last  dif¬ 
ficulties  would  disappear,  or  be  greatly  diminished.  There 
we  should  have  nothing  to  fear  from  their  becoming  our  ene¬ 
mies,  Removed  far  from  our  sight;  our  contempt  of  them, 
produced  by  their  situation,  and  by  long  habit  confirmed, 
would  gradually  die  away,  and  their  jealousy  and  suspicion 
proportionably  decrease.  The  colony  could  never  become  an 
asylum  for  fugitive  slaves,  ami  but  little  opportunity  could 
be  afforded  to  communicate  with  this  country  in  such  a  man? 
ner  as  to  render  the  slaves  uneasy  in  their  masters’  service. 
On  the  other  hand,  great  and  happy  results  might  be  produced 
by  their  being  colonized  in  Africa.  It  is  the  country  of  their 
fathers,  a  climate  suited  to  their  color,  and  one  to  which  their 
constitution,  but  partially  altered  by  their  abode  in  this  coun¬ 
try,  w  ould  soon  adapt  itself.  Who  can  tell  the  blessings  which 
might  in  this  way  be  conferred  on  Africa  herself,  when  her 
strangers  should  be  restored,  and  she  should  receive  her  chil¬ 
dren  redeemed  from  bondage  by  the  humanity  of  America, 
and  by  the  hand  of  virtue  and  religion  restored  from  their 
captivity.  With  what  delight  would  she  view  them,  improved 
in  arts,  in  civilization  and  in  knowledge  of  the  true  God, 
She  would  forget  her  sorrows,  her  wounds  would  be  healed, 
and  she  would  bless  the  hands  of  her  benefactors.  Do  we  not 
owe  to  that  hapless  country  a  debt  contracted  by  our  fathers ; 
and  how  can  wre  so  well  re-pay  it,  as  by<i  transporting  to  her 
shores  a  multitude  of  its  own  descendants,  who  have  learn¬ 
ed  the  arts  of  iife  and  are  softeeed  by  the  power  of  true  reli¬ 
gion,  and  who  can  therefore  he  instrumental  in  taming  and 
placing  in  fixed  abodes,  the  w  ild  and  wandering  people  who 
now  roam  over  that  great  section  of  the  globe.  A  nation  of 
Christians  ought  to  believe  that  all  the  earth  is  destined  to  en¬ 
joy  happiness  under  the  dominion  of  the  Prince  of  peace.  Af¬ 
rica  is  not  forgotten  by  Him  who  «  feeds  the  sparrows.”  The 
spirit  of  her  people  shall  arise.  Her  sons  shall  assume  their 
proper  dignity,  and  she  shall  yet  rejoice  in  her  creator’s  favor. 
Heaven  executes  its  purposes  by  human  agents,  and  perhaps 
this  may  be  one  of  those  means  which  are  laid  up  in  store  to 
bless  the  sable  millions  that  now  exist,  the  pity  of  angds,  but 
the  scorn  of  thoughtless  man.  Could  any  thing  be  deemed  so 
effectual  for  the  happiness  of  that  portion  of  the  world  as  the 
plan  proposed  ?  In  this  way  there  might  soon  be  fixed  a  seat 
of  liberal  learning  in  Africa,  from  w  hich  the  rays  of  knowledge 
plight  dart  across  those  benighted  regions.  Is  it  too  much  to 


s 


lieve  it  possible  that  He  who  brings  light  out  of  darkness,  and 
good  out  of  evil,  has  suffered  so  great  an  evil  to  exist  as  Afri¬ 
can  slavery,  that  in  a  land  of  civil  liberty  and  religious  know¬ 
ledge,  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  might  at  the  appointed 
time  be  prepared  to  return,  and  be  the  great  instrument  of 
spreading  peace  and  happiness.  Let  not  these  reflections  be 
thought  wholly  visionary.  We  know  that  the  ways  of  the  great 
ruler  of  the  world  and  director  of  events  are  wonderful  and 
great  beyond  calculation.  We  know  that  great  and  increasing 
benefits  arise  to  the  natives  of  Africa  from  the  colony  at  Sier¬ 
ra  Leone.  From  the  vicinity  of  that  colony,  the  son  of  an  Af¬ 
rican  chief,  who  has  seen  and  felt  its  benefits,  thus  writes  in 
the  summer  of  1815  :  «  What  a  happy  thing  it  is  to  see  the 

peaceable  state  that  this  country  is  now  in  !  quiet  and  free  from 
slave  vessels ! — no  dragging  of  families  from  one  another  ! — 
no  innumerable  slaves  chained  together,  male  and  female  !  and 
the  enemies  of  humanity,  theslave  traders,  gradually  quitting  the 
country  !  It  has  struck  me  forcibly,  that  where  the  gospel  makes 
its  appearance,  there  satan’s  kingdom  gradually  diminishes. 
May  God  give  grace  and  perseverance  to  his  servants  to  carry 
on  his  work ;  and  make  them  instruments  in  bis  bands  of  bring¬ 
ing  them  to  perfection.  On  the  fourth  of  June,  1815,  ninety 
children  and  one  adult  were  baptized  into  the  faith  of  Christ 
in  the  colony.  On  which  occasion  the  same  young  prince  thus 
writes  :  « I  never  was  better  pleased  in  my  lifetime  than  to 

see  so  many  of  my  countrymen  brought  so  far  as  to  be  bapti¬ 
zed,  and  particularly  when  I  saw  a  grown  up  native  come  for¬ 
ward  to  be  baptized.  We  had  likewise  the  happiness  of  seeing 
our  church  so  full,  that  some  were  obliged  to  stand  out  of  doors. 
Five  or  six  of  the  native  chiefs  were  present  on  the  occasion. 
I  had  more  hopes  that  day  than  I  ever  had  of  those  poor  per¬ 
ishing  countrymen  of  mine.”#  The  period  in  which  we  live  is 
big  with  great  events,  and  as  happy  as  they  are  great.  It  is 
pregnant  with  greater  still.  We  have  lived  to  see  the  day 
when  man  has  begun  to  learn  the  lesson  of  freedom  and  hap¬ 
piness.  America  is  blessed  with  every  blessing  civil  and  reli¬ 
gious.  Europe  begins  slowly  but  sensibly  to  reform  her  go¬ 
vernments.  The  gloomy  and  dread  superstitions  of  Asia,  be¬ 
gin  to  totter  before  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Nor  shall  Africa  be 
forgotten.  Her  bosom  begins  to  warm  with  hope,  and  her  heart 
to  beat  with  expectation  and  desire.  Toward  this  land  of  li¬ 
berty  she  turns  her  eyes,  and  to  the  representatives  of  this  great 
and  free  people,  she  stretches  forth  her  hands,  panting  for  the 
return  of  her  absent  sons  and  daughters.  Happy  America  if 
she  shall  endeavor  not  only  to  rival  other  nations,  in  arts  and 
arms,  but  to  equal  and  exceed  them  in  the  great  cause  of  hu¬ 
manity,  which  has  begun  its  never  ending  course. 


*  Appendix  to  Christian  Observer,  for  1815, 


